The Search For Miss Antarctica
by mostlypsychotic
Summary: New Zealand spots a lone girl wandering around in the emptiness of Antarctica, and reports it to the rest of the world. If Antarctica has a personification, after all, then it's up to a self-appointed group of nations to find her and bring her into the spotlight.


New Zealand stepped off of the helicopter onto the icy terrain, his breath immediately turning to steam and rising from his lips. He immediately set off for the research station that bore his flag, smiling at passersby despite the confused looks he got in return. There was something strange about how much he _liked _it here, he knew that, but arriving always brought him a sense of peace he tended to forget at home. Maybe it was the tiny population, or the frigid open air, or just the fact that no matter which direction he looked in, the land never seemed to end. To him, Antarctica was one of the most beautiful places in the world. He _adored _it.

"Good afternoon!" he called as he pushed the door to his station open. He was greeted amiably as ever by the team set up inside, and the leader of the scientists was quick to hurry to his side.

"New Zealand. Good to see you. What brings you here?" he asked, gesturing behind him. The blonde grinned from under his hood and began a short walk around the room, peering over shoulders at screens and lab setups.

"I'm just here to check in on the base, make sure everything's alright. Is everyone here comfortable?"

"As comfortable as ever. There was a bad storm earlier this month, but things are mild again, I'd say." New Zealand nodded, taking a seat by the window and gazing out.

"And you have everything you need? General supplies, technology...it's all good?"

"It's all good," the captain affirmed. "Our setup's been working without a hitch. I'm sure someone would've called us out by now if it were otherwise."

"Right." New Zealand rose to his feet again and stretched his arms over his head. "In that case, you made the meeting short. I think I'm going to stay overnight anyway, just to get around to the other buildings and ask around." The leader nodded understandingly.

"Suit yourself. If there's anything you need, just let me know."

For now, New Zealand decided, what he needed was a good walk. Waving his way back out of the station, he turned from the base altogether, striding out energetically towards the open land. He was often chided for it by Australia, who worried that one day his aimless wandering would get him lost, but the complaints were forgotten when he was out in the open. New Zealand loved his own land, that was for sure. His islands were beautiful and majestic, with mountains that could make a hiker feel like he had found the top of the world and plains that you could only see on postcards. But he loved Antarctica's land all the same. Flat, dry, and icy, yet there was a secretive sort of charm to its existence. Maybe it was that most of the land was more or less untouched, but it all just seemed so _pristine_. It was almost a second home to him; he certainly showed up more than most of the treaty's members, and from the remarks he got about how much he liked it, he probably was the only one with that mindset.

A solitary penguin slipped across his path on its belly, cutting off the boy's inner monologues. It came to a stop a few feet away, rolling onto its back and eying the visitor curiously. New Zealand dropped to a crouch, holding out a hand just as anxiously.

"Hey, there. What are you doing here, little guy?" he murmured. "Don't you have any friends around here?" He took a careful step forward, but it was enough for the bird to shy away again. Falling back onto its belly in its hurry, the penguin shoved across the ice, taking shelter behind a pair of long legs.

_Legs? _

New Zealand rose to his feet again, his eyes wide. Just a few meters away, a girl had seemingly appeared out of thin air. She had since picked up the penguin and was cradling it, apparently not noticing the visitor in front of her. She was tall, the boy noticed first, maybe even as tall as Russia. Most of her body was hidden away by a long skirt and a fur-lined coat, but he could make out long, black hair under the hood and a slight smile on her lips as she tended to her pet. The island nation took a cautious step forward, his heart pounding.

"Excuse me," he began. The girl's head shot up, and she hugged her penguin closer. "Who are you?" A pair of fearful gray eyes met his, and she shook her head wordlessly before turning on her heel and fleeing. "No, wait! Come back!" New Zealand broke into a run after her, only to lose his footing on some particularly slippery ice. As he crashed to the ground, he could hear the crunching of her boots on the snow getting farther and farther away, and when he staggered to his feet, she was gone again.

In just minutes, he was back in the research station, eyes wide and face red where he had smacked it against the ice.  
"Excuse me!" he stuttered, tapping the captain's shoulder again. "Have you ever seen a girl when you go outside?"

"A girl?" the captain echoed, raising an eyebrow. "You'll have to be more specific than that."

"Tall girl, black hair, carries a penguin around? There's no way she works for one of the stations, I would have noticed that!" New Zealand insisted, counting his descriptions off on his fingers.

"That does sound rather strange. I've never seen a girl like that." The captain frowned and turned away for a look at his equally bemused coworkers. "Are you sure you weren't just seeing things, New Zealand? The sun can get bright around here.

_Seeing things? Seriously?_

"I didn't imagine her," he assured the group, turning back to the door. "I've got to get back home." As he returned to the landing pad, thoughts raced almost irritatingly through his head. First thing would be to get the treaty members together, he knew that much. But what would he say, if he wasn't even entirely sure himself?

Was it even possible that he had found a human Antarctica?


End file.
